Melting the Ice
by ianlazy
Summary: Ian Yeager is alone and bitter. Isabelle Zoe is alone and sad. Fate has an odd way of pulling two opposite characters together. AU.
1. Meetings

**Hi! This is an AU starring OCs so I hope you can tolerate stuff like that. I was debating whether or not to upload this b/c of that but I like it a lot so I thought someone would like it too. Basically its a story about how both of their kids are lonely but slowly start to "melt the ice" and become friends. Its got some descriptions of fights and a little cursing so I rated it T.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own snk.**

**Enjoy!**

Meetings

_Drip, drip_.

The blood trickled down and off of his tan fingers. His knuckles felt like they were on fire and were white from hitting the bullies several times. His forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat as he looked at the people writhing in pain in the courtyard. Ian Yeager was a piece of work. If it wasn't one problem then it was another.

As far back as he could remember he was picked on for his appearance or background. He liked to stand out from everyone else. He didn't like being told that he only had one choice in life. So Ian wore a gray beenie over his spiky light brown hair. He had a tattoo of a red scarf wrapped around a golden key on his upper right arm. One ear was pierced with a small black button in his earlobe. Ian was seventeen and six foot one. He also had heterochromia in his eyes. One of his eyes was dark blue and the other was bright emerald green. It was almost like he was a mixture between lightness and darkness. Due to this his mother, Mikasa, called him her sunset. The sunset was the time of day that darkness met lightness. Ian thought it was a dumb name. Just his appearance alone caused problems for him. Some people don't like others who are different, so they pick fights with him.

Then there was his past.

His mother and father had worked as assassins for a long while. They had done things that would make anyone more than scarred for life. However his mother got pregnant with him and his family moved into the city of Maria. Now his family made an honest living. People eventually found out who they were and gave them shit for it. Students wanted to pick fights with him, whether it be for his parents actions or just to see if they were stronger than two assassins' kid.

Ian was used to it. His mother and father both taught him how to fight at a very young age. Today was just another case of someone trying to beat him for his being different. _Damn, _he thought. He had gotten blood on his white shirt and black jacket. Standard school uniforms consisted of black jackets, white shirts, thin black neckties, and nice black trousers. Despite his rebellious streak, he actually liked having an excuse to wear nice clothes.

"Ah shit," he mumbled under his breath when he saw her. Isabelle Zoe. She was the class rep for his class. She was also a smart and a rather good-looking girl, but a huge pain in the ass for Ian. She followed every rule there was to follow which means he would be taking a trip to the administrative office for fighting on school grounds. She had her dark brown hair in an intricate ponytail and wore the same outfit as he did, only with a dark skirt instead of pants. Her brown eyes stared at him through glasses.

"Fighting again I see. Ian Yeager from class 2-B. He has been in eleven fights on school grounds, has average grades, sits in the seat next to me, and often breaks dress code." she said in a monotone voice.

"You're so cynical," he hissed at her as he rubbed his hands and looked down at the students that jumped him. "Besides, it was self-defense," he glared at her.

"I'm still reporting this either way," she said turning her back at him. "Oh, by the way, if I'm cynical then you're an asshole," she hissed. Ian just groaned and watched as she sauntered over to the school building.

"Dammit Ian. Why are you always fighting?" his father's voice was a mixture of disappointment and anger.

"It's not my fault. They keep attacking me. The administrators just let me off without any trouble understanding this," Ian retorted angrily. He was staring out of the car window as his father drove him home.

"Even so, you didn't have to go that far. Just because someone swings at you doesn't mean you break their nose and jaw," his father quickly responded to his son's attitude.

"Whatever," he muffled under his breath.

"Your mother isn't gonna be happy," Eren continued. Ian just sighed thinking about how bad it was gonna be when he saw his mother. She was very loving, but was the scariest person he knew.

"Ian did what?! This is why you have no friends! You do dumb shit like get into fights and get tattoos. You refuse to make something of your life! I've repeatedly told you that you should join an MMA club at school and put your talent of fighting to use. But all you want to do is make trouble! Is this what you want for a lifestyle? You're walking down the wrong path, and you're soon going to be in a situation that's too tough for you to get out of. I just want the best for my son. Go to your room. No dinner for you," his mother, Mikasa, finished practically steaming with anger. Ian walked into his room avoiding her dark gaze.

"Dammit!" he yelled as he closed his door. Every word that came out of her mouth was right, and he hated it. He hated how her anger faded into genuine disappointment in her only son. He just walked over and laid on his he stared at his ceiling, he thought about her words.

"Friends, huh?" he thought about a certain dark haired brunette. He just laughed out loud. "No way in hell is that happening," he mumbled out as he drifted off to sleep.

"Turn to page one hundred thirty two in your books class," Ms. Ral said to class 2-B. Ian turned the pages in his poetry book carefully so he didn't rip the coarse white paper. Ms. Ral instructed a student to read the poem Alone by Edgar Allen Poe aloud to the class. Ian just leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Isabelle glanced at Ian with disdain in her eyes. She didn't like his attitude and how he presented himself. He always got into fights and broke school dress code. _What an ass_, she thought. However, her eyes grew wide as she noticed it. She was shocked.

_From childhood's hour I have not been  
As others were; I have not seen  
As others saw; I could not bring  
My passions from a common spring._

Ian was mouthing the words to the poem. He knew it by heart. He was a silent poet. _Was he smarter than he looked? _Her mind raced. _He has to be if he can recite this by heart. What else didn't she know about him? _The poem had ended and she realized she had been gawking at him for a little too long. Ian looked at her with a confused look on his face. "What?" he asked agitatedly. She quickly turned hoping he hadn't got the wrong idea. The blood was rushing to her face at a rather fast rate.

"Nothing _you _should be concerned about," she replied venomously in spite of her crimson cheeks. Ian just scoffed and looked away, mumbling profanities under his breath. Though oddly enough, the entire day Isabelle couldn't stop thinking about the boy she despised.

It was evening time when Isabelle got out of the political club meeting. She was dead tired after all the activities she had participated in. After all, being the top student in her school was a demanding task. It was when she was putting on her shoes to go home when she heard it. Two girls were talking about her oblivious to the fact that she was on the other side of the wall of shoes. Isabelle pressed her ear to the wall.

"What a bitch! She's such a teacher's pet. She probably sucked the administrator's dick to become the top student. There's no way a hoe like her could get grades like that unless she did," the first girl said hatefully.

"Ha! You're right. She's such an ass. Let's get out of here already," the second pretentiously said and they soon started for the door. Isabelle just stood there for a second, staring at the floor. Her brown eyes were ablaze with separate emotions. She then walked towards the door silently.

"Hey hun! I'm making ramen for dinner!" Hanji yelled over the stove as her daughter entered the door and took her shoes off.

"I hate ramen." Levi sighed, sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and drinking tea.

"That's why I'm making it!" Hanji chimed in an ethereal voice. Isabelle just laughed at her parents odd, but somehow charming, relationship.

"How was school?" her father asked in a rather uninterested voice. She definitely had her father's attitude, but her mother's looks and smarts.

"Fine, I suppose," she responded just as uninterested. She sat down at the table and talked with her family.

As she made her way to her room after dinner she felt her eyes start to sting. She quickened her pace so her parents didn't have to hear her sobs. As soon as her door closed she slid down the wall and cried hot tears. This was her daily routine. Put on a brave face and pretend like the world couldn't hurt her. But in reality she was just another weak individual with no one to provide a crutch for her to lean on. In solace was her only time to show weakness. Isabelle always put the rules above people, and her attitude was less than enthusiastic. However, she was a human too. Isabelle had wants, dreams, and longed for company just as much as the next person. For she never had a true friend.

One blue eye and one emerald eye watched the fragile pink blossoms fall to the ground around him. Ian sat on a grassy hill under a cherry blossom tree, holding a lunch box. He always ate lunch in the same place. It was the most beautiful place on school grounds to him. Ian would never admit it, but he secretly had a soft spot for nature. He always ate in solace, but today was different. He had a visitor.

Ian heard her gentle footsteps on the grass behind him. When she finally appeared, Isabelle just sat next to him without saying anything. Ian was getting annoyed but realized how odd it was to have her sit next to him so he said nothing. He watched as she struggled to open the lid to a bottle of tea. What happened next shocked him more than it should have. His eyes widened in shock when he saw tears streaming down her face. She was sobbing uncontrollably. At first he did nothing, but soon couldn't take it. Ian silently reached over and opened it for her. When he gave it back to her she grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go.

"Wha-," he was cut short by her words.

"From the same source I have not taken my sorrow; I could not awaken my heart to joy at the same tone; and all I loved, I loved alone." Ian's jaw dropped. They were the next lines in the poem. Ian's cheeks started turning crimson at the thought that she had seen him speak the beginning of this poem. He then realized what she was telling him. She felt alone. He just gripped her hand back. And from that moment on, they both had an everlasting friend in this cruel, yet beautiful, world.

**How was it? Likey? No likey? I put some serious stuff in this one but chapter 2 has more humor... among other things ;). **

**On a personal note, my name is Ian and I saw that someone named Eremika's kid Ian so I had to go with that. Also I made Isabelle's last name Zoe because it'd be weird if they were related and had feelings for each other. So lets just pretend Mikasa and Levi aren't related.**

**Chapter 2 next week. It's already done too.**

**Hope you enjoyed! ~ ianlazy**


	2. Deal?

**Hey! I'm back! Sorry I didn't post this, but I was iffy on posting this story in the first place and not a lot of people have read it. So I was kinda discouraged but here is the promised chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own snk or the song**

Pink blossoms fell eloquently onto Ian's sloppily put together uniform. Ian just kept eating his well packaged lunch from his loving-but-scary mother. Isabelle glared at him for a moment before scoffing and removing the pedals from his uniform. It was as if she was saying to him _really? You're just gonna leave them there? _Ian just gave her a devilish, but genuine, smile as he watched her be unusually tidy.

It had been two months since they became friends at the very same spot. Each day they would bicker in the school like they usually did, but come lunchtime, they would sit next to each other silently. Sometimes one would hold the other's hand if they had had a rough day, or one would offer the other some of their food. However, they never spoke to one another. The silence was comfortable though. It was like they could just read each others' minds and act on it.

A pedal then fell on Ian's nose causing him to snap his head back due to surprise and disgust. Isabelle just giggled seeing the tough punk, Ian Yeager, become angry at a simple pink blossom. She reached up and removed the troublesome pedal from the flustered boy's face. Her brown pools looked straight into his green and blue eyes. She could see the contrast of emotion that he held within them. Ian could feel her warm breath on his face, and see how her once cold eyes were starting to look more passionate. They then both became acutely aware of how close their faces were.

Isabelle quickly retracted her face from his and sat back down next to him. Her gaze was focused on the ground. Ian was flushed red, but looked up to see the strange sight of Isabelle Zoe wearing something on her face other than disgust. His mouth was pushed up into a smirk at the amusing sight, but it vanished as his light orbs focused on how pretty her features actually were. She was actually breathtaking.

_Rinnggg!_ The bell interrupted Ian's peaceful reverie. Isabelle wasted no time getting up and storming off. It was rather hard for her to keep the tugging smile on her lips from forming though. Ian packed up slowly. He didn't feel like going to his next class, but more importantly, for the first time in a long while, he felt lonely.

Ian was lost in thought as he walked home. His black book bag was slung over his shoulder, filled with homework he probably wouldn't do. His train of thought kept creeping back to a certain brown haired girl. Isabelle became less agitated at his rebellious nature of late. He wondered why that was. It certainly wasn't because...

"Hey Yeager!" a loud voice interrupted Ian's wandering thoughts. As he turned around, he saw the same punks he beat up a couple of months ago. Only this time they added three more to their ranks.

"Isn't 7 against 1 a little lopsided," Ian said angrily. That was his father in him.

"You're dumber than we thought! It's 8 asshole!" the offender said with a evil smirk. Ian was nearly knocked out cold when a pipe flew at his head from behind, but his amazing instincts and reflexes told him to duck under the blow just in time. That was his mother in him.

Ian moved his legs at a lighting fast pace to sweep the boy's legs under him. As the boy from behind fell, Ian landed a solid uppercut to the boy's face. Blood spattered out of his mouth as his body contorted into an awkward landing position. _One down, _Ian thought while getting in a fighting stance.

"Ian Yeager!" a stern voice came from behind. It was the one voice he didn't want to hear. Isabelle was glaring at him with piercing eyes. Usually Ian would just go back to fighting and ignore her. It was different this time though. Ian felt a tinge of remorse. Ian could hear the assaulter's footsteps behind him; however, Ian didn't act. He just stared in Isabelle's eyes.

"Sorry Zo," he said defeated. She knew what was about to happen, but her eyes never left his. Then everything went black.

Colors blurred together into blotches as Ian's tan eyelids opened. Then he felt the searing pain in the side of his face. One of the colors that blurred into life was the color of dark brown hair. Ian then realized why his face hurt so badly.

"Where am I?" he asked while sitting up.

"The school infirmary," she said in a rather uninterested voice. Ian scanned the white room and noticed something shocking. All the boys that had attacked him were in the room with him. Each one was battered beyond the point of pain.

"Did you..?" he trailed off looking at the boys.

"Did you think that you were the only one who knew how to fight? You really are ignorant," she said condescendingly. Ian didn't quite know how to respond to that, so she just continued. "You caused me to miss two club meetings today," she said matter-of-factly while dabbing a white clothe into what looked like rubbing alcohol.

"So? How is that my problem? I didn't ask you to get me into trouble," he said angrily. She just looked at him with a glare that was too similar to his mother's for comfort.

"I explained everything to the administrators and they understood the situation. We did not get into any trouble, but I missed two of my clubs," she lifted up the clothe to his face and ignored his winces. "So I took the liberty of signing you up for two clubs as punishment."

"You what?!" he looked at her with widened eyes. She just blankly stared ahead and continued to clean his wounds.

"You need to be involved in an extracurricular activity to keep you out of trouble, and so you can vent your anger. It wouldn't hurt if you made friends too."

"That's funny coming from you," he hissed and continued, "I have better things to do besides that. And how would I 'vent my anger'?" he asked sarcastically.

"I signed you up for MMA club. Don't worry about losing time to play your precious guitar because I also signed you up for music club," she said looking over his wound to see where she should clean next.

"How did you-" he was cut short by her voice and the pain of the alcohol on his wound.

"You're left hand's fingertips are calloused," she motioned to his left hand, "What do you take me for? An idiot?"

Ian thought about her words carefully. He didn't have anything better to do, and hadn't his mom been telling him to join a club. Plus he wouldn't miss out on his guitar time. The only problem was that he didn't want to give Isabelle the satisfaction of being right. She needed some collateral from this too. He then noticed how cold his head was. He reached up to his messy hair for his hat but found nothing. Isabelle noticed his fidgeting.

"Looking for this?" she said while picking up his gray beenie.

"Thanks Zo" he practically whispered while taking it from her hand. She retracted her hand when their fingers brushed. A slight blush appeared on her face at the touch and the use of the nickname. She couldn't remember when he started using it, but deep down she loved the way he said it. If it was anybody else, she would've smacked them outright in the face. But Ian was different.

As she finished up with his wound, Ian got a brilliant idea. "I'll join the clubs," he reluctantly said. A smile crept onto her face.

"I knew you'd come around," she said proudly. He had her right where he wanted her.

"_But _I'll only join if you wear this beenie every Monday," he deviously smiled as he held the article in front of her. Her face immediately became flustered as she started sputtering out reasons why she couldn't. It would break dress code, and he knew it would eat her up inside if she broke the rules.

"Wha- I-I can't wear that. I-It is against t-the rules," she quickly spat out.

"It's not enforced though. You know that," he said grinning.

"Bu-but. I'm allergic!" she retorted.

"No, you're not. You grabbed it just fine. Just wear the damn hat, Zo, and be happy I didn't make you wear it all week," he said agitatedly but amused. She glared at him for a long time before ripping the beenie from his hands.

"Fine! But if you _miss_ one club meeting the deal is off!" she hissed.

"Alright. It's a deal," he said, happy with himself, as he watched her walk to the exit. Then it dawned on him.

"Wait Zo! Why did you clean my wound? Wasn't that the nurse's job?" he asked confused.

"The nurse was a little busy," she motioned to all the others in the infirmary, "so I told her that I would treat you."

"Why'd you wait until I woke up?" he was still confused.

"Because I like seeing you in pain," she smiled as she left the room. Ian just mumbled curses under his breath.

"Why are you home so late, dear?" his mother's voice asked him as he entered the house. She was sitting in the living room reading a book. Mikasa had her reading glasses on while she looked at her son. "And what happened to your face?"

"It's a long story, but I joined the MMA club and music club. So I won't be coming home early in a while," he finished while taking off his shoes.

"That's great!" she was smiling brightly. "Eren did you hear that?" she yelled into the kitchen.

"Yeah. That's great! Wait a second...Ian did you track dirt in the other day," Eren asked suspiciously.

"Nope!" Ian said making a full sprint to his room to avoid his father's wrath when it came to cleanliness. Something Eren picked up when he was an assassin.

Isabelle adjusted the gray beenie onto her dark brown hair. She stared at herself in the mirror and sighed. She started to readjust the hat to make it look more uniform. It had been three weeks since she made the deal with Ian to wear this hat, and to her surprise he had shown up to every club meeting on time. She had to hold up her end of the deal, but she hated it. Every time she wore the hat, she had to answer questions from teachers and students alike. They'd ask her if she liked punk music or if she was having troubles at home. Answering them was a pain, but the worst was when someone realized who the original owner was. She'd get questioned about Ian and if they were dating. Those were definitely the worst.

"Breakfast is ready, sweetie," Hanji told Isabelle while sitting at the table reading a magazine about anatomy.

"And it sucks," Levi added while sipping on his tea. "And why do you always wear that hat?" he asked.

"Because it annoys you," she replied while sticking her tongue out at him; followed by putting a piece of toast in her mouth. "I'm gonna take my breakfast with me. I won't make it to school on time if I stay. Love you, mom," she said more gingerly.

"Have fun! And don't be afraid to ask for blood samples!" she yelled after her daughter. Isabelle just shook her head as she left the house.

As she approached the cherry blossom tree for lunch she noticed that he was playing his guitar. Ian looked almost peaceful under the tree. He had replaced his gray beenie with a crimson one. He carried his guitar with him to school every day since he needed it for music club. He would occasionally play when they had lunch, but it was always some rock song.

"I feel it deep within! It's just beneath the skin! I must confess that I feel like a monster!" Ian was singing another rock song that Isabelle didn't particularly care for.

"Can't you play anything different?" she nagged at him as she sat down next to him. Ian was taken aback by her willingness to break the silence today.

He looked at her for a moment considering her question. Her brown eyes softened when his eyes stared into hers. Ian then started to strum on his guitar, only this time it was a softer tune.

"When I was younger I saw my daddy cry and curse at the wind. He broke his own heart and I watched as he tried to reassemble it. And my momma swore that she would never let herself forget. And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love if it does not exist," Ian looked straight into Isabelle's eyes as he sang the chorus, "But darling you are the only exception. You are the only exception. You are the only exception. You are the only exception," he finished.

"How was that?" he asked still looking into her eyes. Isabelle felt her cheeks heat up.

"Better," she squeaked out. Ian smiled a brilliant smile and her heart melted even further.

"I could sing the rest of the song if you'd like," he teased her.

"No, no. I'm fine," she hastily dismissed his offer. She pulled the gray beenie down over her forehead and ears as if she was trying to hide from her embarrassment in it. Ian laughed and began to open his lunch box. She watched as his calloused hands delicately handled the box. He looked up at her.

"You do know it's Tuesday, right Zo? You wore that yesterday too," he motioned to the hat.

She just stared at her lunch box with an even redder face. Ian laughed again and went back to eating. That's when she, almost silently, said the words, "I know."

"You say something?" he glanced at her.

"Nope!" she said while popping a piece of rice into her mouth. But she couldn't help the large smile that danced across her features at that moment.

***wiggles eyebrows* Ian why you so smooth? I love Paramore so their song is in this. Hope you enjoyed the new chapter!**

**~ ianlazy**


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